Americans for Medical Progress

Americans for Medical Progress (AMP) is an industry-funded organization and front group for the pharmaceutical, animal testing and breeding industries. AMP runs media campaigns targeting animal rights, welfare and health advocacy groups. It is self described as a "national 501(c)(3) (tax-exempt) non-profit supported by medical schools, research institutions." According to its website, AMP provides:


 * "vital news, information and analysis to research stakeholders to ensure they have the resources they need to deflect campaigns that threaten the future of medical progress."

Overview
AMP's board of directors consists of senior executives and other representatives employed by the pharmaceutical and vivisection industries. They include Charles River, Abbott Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis. Charles River Laboratories is the world's largest supplier of laboratory animals. It has been described as the "General Motors of the laboratory animal industry". Board members also represent universities and institutions receiving government grants for vivisection. Many corporations and institutions on AMP's board have amassed a history of gross animal welfare violations in the United States and Europe and been the focus of animal, health, consumer and human rights advocates. See also sections 2.4 & 6 on selected board members.

AMP & Charles River
Stop Animal Exploitation Now! (SAEN) is a national research watchdog organization. SAEN has included Charles River among the worst violators of U.S. laws. The company amassed 22 violations in one monitoring period, including an incident which left dozens of dogs with bleeding paws. (Government reports and ranking statistics available upon request.) Two senior executives from Charles River, including the company's Corporate Vice President, sit on the board of AMP. See also Charles River.

AMP & Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) is the 3rd largest contract research organization (CRO) in the world and the largest animal testing facility in all of Europe. Firms hire HLS to conduct animal toxicity tests for agrochemicals, petrochemicals, household products, pharmaceutical drugs and toxins. HLS has a long history of gross animal welfare violations. They are the only laboratory in the United Kingdom ever to have their license revoked by the government. See also Huntingdon Life Sciences.

Corporations which contract test out to HLS include members of AMP's own board of directors; GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Abbott Laboratories and Sanofi-Aventis. See also animal testing, section 3 on product (toxicity) testing.

Pfizer, Premarin & horse slaughter industry
Premarin is a drug manufactured by Pfizer, another board member of AMP. It is derived from pregnant mares’ urine (PMU), and prescribed for "symptoms of menopause". It has been classified as a "dangerous drug" and the number one most likely to cause disability or other serious outcome. Premarin production involves the extreme abuse of horses and feeds into the horse slaughter industry. See also Premarin.

University funding & animal welfare issues
A 2001 audit for 30 facilities revealed that approximately 56% received over 100 million per year from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for animal research. Three universities represented by AMP board members are listed on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's (PETA) list of ten worst laboratories according to: worst violations of the Animal Welfare Act; largest numbers of animals killed; most painful and invasive experiments and least willing to make improvements. See also ten worst laboratories on ''University of Tulane, Harvard University and Oregon Health and Science University (ONPRC).

Other universities on the board which have been the focus of animal and health advocates, include the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

AMP, Pfizer & horse industry lobby
The Animal Welfare Council (AWC) is a front group for abusive horse industries such as rodeos, horse slaughter and Premarin, manufactured by AMP member Pfizer. Members of this lobby include Americans for Medical Progress.

AMP & Center for Consumer Freedom
According to AMP, "organizations that embrace animal rights tenets" include: In Defense of Animals, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Animal Legal Defense Fund and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. According to AMP, the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) has "connected the dots" revealing that PETA and PCRM have received funds from a wealthy "animal rights activist."

CCF sponsors have included corporations like Phillip Morris, Monsanto, Tyson Foods and Dean Foods, which have long histories of gross animal welfare violations, human rights, health and environmental abuses. See also Richard Berman cares about animals: clients exposed.

Organizations like AMP and CCF not only represent multi-billion dollar corporations, but industries which are heavily subsidized by tax payers. See also U.S. Government's War on Animals.

Marginalizing animal welfare groups
According to AMP, "one needs to be especially cautious" of "organizations primarily focused on animal welfare", as well. These include American Humane Association, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

HSUS, ASPCA & Pfizer
HSUS and the ASPCA have both criticized former board member Wyeth (now merged with AMP board member Pfizer) for its treatment of Premarin horses. ,

Speaking of Research
Speaking of Research is a "campus oriented" astroturf group. Founder Tom Holder graduated from Oxford University in 2007, with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Mr. Holder moved to the United States in March of 2008 to found Speaking of Research and "take on animal rights groups". According to its website, it's "grassroots activities" on campuses are aimed at "generating student and faculty support" for animal testing. This project is supported by AMP and and Pro-Test in the United Kingdom. In October of 2008, Mr. Holder returned to the United Kingdom where he continues to assist with both groups. ,

Toxic drug trials on foster children (GSK, Pfizer)
See also Foster child drug trials.

NAMI
Four companies represented on AMP's board, Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer, have been listed as corporate supporters of the patient-advocacy pharmaceutical front group National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which lobbies for positions which are counter to the welfare of the mentally ill. See also NAMI.

The vivisection "debate"
See also animal testing, section 6 on vivisection debate.

Selected board members

 * John D. Young, VMD, MS (Chairman) - Director, Comparative Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center
 * Lynn C. Anderson - DVM - Corporate VP, Charles River
 * Marilyn J. Brown - DVM, MS - VP, Charles River CHARTER Program
 * Robert D. Gunnels, DVM, MS - Director, Comparative Medicine, Pfizer Global R&D
 * Anne Mueller - Director, Science Policy, North America AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
 * Leticia V. Medina - Manager, Animal Welfare & Compliance, Abbott Laboratories
 * Michael D. Kastello, DVM, PhD, Global Head - Sanofi-Aventis
 * Margaret Landi, VMD, VP, Global LAS - GlaxoSmithKline
 * Jim Newman - Media Team Leader - OHSU, Oregon National Primate Research Center
 * Joseph E. Murray, MD - Professor Emeritus, Harvard University Medical School
 * Andrew A. Lackner, DVM, PhD - Director, Tulane National Primate Research Center (NPRC)
 * David Jentsch, PhD, Assoc. Professor, UCLA, Committee member, Speaking of Research

Contact
Americans for Medical Progress 526 King Street Suite 201 Alexandria, VA 22314

Tel: 703-836-9595

Fax: 703-836-9594

Web address: http://www.amprogress.org/

SourceWatch articles

 * AIDS industry
 * Animal activists who have been injured or killed
 * Animal testing
 * Astroturf
 * Conservatives target the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
 * Criminalising civil disobedience
 * False animal test results & damages caused
 * Humane Movement
 * Intimidating public interest groups
 * National Institutes of Health
 * National Primate Research Center System
 * Pharmaceutical industry
 * Propaganda techniques
 * Richard Berman cares about animals: clients exposed
 * Ten Worst Laboratories
 * U.S. Government's War on Animals
 * War on Cancer